It’s not easy to get into The Open. The paying punter, for instance, can’t just roll up on a whim these days. You must stick your name into a vast, worldwide tombola and hope it gets plucked out of the ticket ballot.
Even the golf writers are stripped, searched, interrogated and deloused before we’re allowed within 200 metres of the media centre. Or something like that.
As for the Scottish amateur Calum Scott? Well, he certainly put in the hard yards on his way to earning a Royal Troon tee-time.
The 20-year-old from Nairn topped the standings in The Open Amateur Series, a sequence of three marquee championships on the unpaid game’s schedule, and was rewarded for his consistency with a major debut.
“There’s no easy way to get into The Open,” said Scott. Those who missed out in that ballot will no doubt agree. “But this is a reward for the hard work and some good results.”
Having returned to his native land from college in the US, Scott hit the ground running and started a run of major amateur events with a second place in the St Andrews Links Trophy.
He followed that up by reaching the quarter-finals of the Amateur Championship before cementing his place at the top of The Open Amateur Series order of merit with a spirited fourth place finish in the final counting event, the European Amateur Championship, at the end of June.
“I knew what was at stake playing in those three events and I knew consistency was going to be key,” added Scott, who represented GB&I in the 2023 Walker Cup at St Andrews.
It was job done for Scott. Now, it’s time to breathe in the majesty of golf’s most cherished major.
“I got on site the other day, collected all my credentials, went to my locker and then it all started to sink in that I’m actually here at The Open,” he said. “It’s been unbelievable.”
Scott has already been keeping fine company. He enjoyed a practice round with former US Open champion, Matt Fitzpatrick, while his strong US college connection to Ludvig Aberg ensured that he’d be out and about on the links yesterday with the fourth best player on the world rankings.
Aberg was at the same Texas Tech college as Scott and graduated last year before exploding onto the professional scene.
“He’s a great lad and we still keep in touch,” said Scott. “There was a cross over during our time at Texas Tech. I spent two years with him. He’s very, very good at golf but he’s a humble guy as well. He’s a great inspiration to all of us.
“What he has done straight out of college has been phenomenal. He’s now one of the best in the world and has what he can do, by coming out, getting into the Ryder Cup and winning events.
“We weren’t sure what he would do when he turned pro. You just never know, but he’s certainly shown what he’s capable of.”
Scott is hoping he too can show what he is capable of on the big stage. The highlander, whose older brother Sandy was also a Walker Cup player, certainly doesn’t feel out of place among the golfing glitterati here at Royal Troon.
He still has to pinch himself sometimes, mind you. “I’ve earned my way into this and I’m meant to be here,” he said. “For the most part, I feel like I belong here. But then I see Tiger on the range, and I think, ‘wow, am I at the right tournament?’. I was a bit starstruck.”
It’s been a whirlwind month or so for Scott with little time to draw breath amid the competitive cut-and-thrust of the amateur scene. There’s plenty left in the tank, though.
“It’s been non-stop golf since I got back from the US but it’s easy to get the energy up for this,” he said. “I’ve just done some light practice, so I feel quite refreshed.
“Lots of guys who have played in this as amateurs have performed really well. Hopefully, I can do a job too.”
